This goes out to every person struggling with anxiety.
To every beautiful soul on whom stress has taken its toll.
To every single being who just wants to be free.
You are not alone. You are not weak. You deserve to get better. You deserve inner peace. You are beautiful. YOU.ARE.BRAVE! You have to realise that there is nothing wrong with you and that the challenges you are facing right now could be overcome easily if you just allow it!
Anxiety can be deadly. There comes a point in every person’s life when it takes over and they are unable to function properly. Your heart starts to race. Sweat appears on your palms. You begin to tremble. That’s when you know the situation has gotten out of hand and it is high time you did something about it.
In this blog post, I will share with you some tips that you can use to overcome your anxiety and find that much-needed inner peace!
Understanding anxiety and how to tackle it
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again…to cure a disease, you must first understand it. Dealing with anxiety is the same. What causes this feeling of nervousness and overall discomfort? There is no one answer – it varies from person to person. The source of your anxiety could be anything, including work-related stress, toxic relationships, some form of emotional trauma, or even the use of drugs. Any of these factors could leave you stuck in a toxic state. Your job is to not let these thoughts overcome your emotional well-being and keep anxiety levels at bay.
But, how exactly does one do that? Let me tell you how.
Watch your diet
You are what you eat. If you eat the wrong type of food, you won’t feel right from the inside. That’s the simplest way of putting it. So make sure you eat right and that your diet is balanced. You need to ensure that your sugar levels are kept under control. Under the influence of anxiety, people tend to crave sugary snacks. This ultimately leads to disrupted blood sugar levels and obesity. Avoid chocolates, processed meat, alcohol, and artificial sweeteners at all costs.
It’s important to incorporate plant-based wholefoods into your diet. Leafy greens and fruits are rich in essential nutrients like vitamins A, B, and D, calcium, magnesium, etc. which are known to alleviate the symptoms of anxiety. Some items which I would personally like to recommend are:
- Spinach
- Kale
- Beans
- Oranges
- Bananas
- Garlic
- Barley
- Figs
Breathe deeply
At times, our bodies tend to overreact to certain scenarios which aren’t all that threatening or serious at all. Without analysing the complete situation, our heart rate goes up, we start imagining the worst-case scenarios, and our limbs start to shake. Deep breathing can help you a lot in overcoming this problem!
Ask yourself this question: “When was the last time I breathed properly?” People with anxiety make things worse by taking shallow breaths and further increasing their heart rates.
So remember, the next time anxiety starts to take its toll on you, just close your eyes. Slowly inhale a significant amount of air through your nostrils (as much as you can), completely expanding your lungs, and then slowly exhale it through your mouth. Repeat this until your heart rate goes back to normal and your body feels relaxed.
Meditate
Meditation is the best remedy to keep your mind, body, and soul relaxed. It is the most useful tool you have to de-stress and unwind from the challenges of life. Here’s how you can do that:
Find a place without noise. Sit on a chair or on the ground.
Start taking deep breaths, preferably with your eyes closed.
Cancel out all the noise in your head. Block out all of your thoughts and just focus on your breathing. Divert your attention towards your senses.
You can do this for as long as you like or until you feel absolutely relaxed and calm.
Exercise
Your mind and body are connected. Keeping your body active can help you clear out negative thoughts from your mind. Think of exercising as a detox – you are not only getting rid of toxins in your body but those in your head as well. You don’t necessarily have to go for strenuous exercise. Start small – go for a walk or a jog. You can even try yoga or tai-chi. The goal is to get those feel-good endorphins flowing throughout your body. They will help you relax your nerves and muscles and keep your anxiety under control.
Sleep it off
A lack of sleep can significantly impact your nervous system and contribute towards anxiety attacks. After all, experts don’t recommend getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night for nothing. Trust me, it makes a huge difference. Sleep heals the mind and body. More importantly, it helps you battle day-to-day stress and avoid mood swings. So pledge to hit the hay early tonight and follow this habit every day for the rest of your life. You will thank yourself for it! And if you are having trouble falling asleep, just use lavender essential oil.
Ending note
In the end, know deep within yourself that your situation isn’t permanent. The ability to defeat anxiety and find inner peace is within you – all you need is to muster up the courage and find the motivation to make changes in your lifestyle. Keep the tips discussed above in mind and do all that you can to follow them religiously. Happiness and inner peace are just around the corner so stay optimistic and ban negative thoughts from contaminating your mind. Embrace positivity and seek professional counselling if you need additional support to cope with the stress. I wish you the very best of luck!
